Canada’s largest producer of processed meat, Maple Leaf Foods, just announced their purchase of Seattle-based artisanal grain-meat manufacturer Field Roast.

The vegan meat and cheese company had just celebrated 20 years in business this year, and news of the sale may have surprised the packaged meat industry on both sides of the border. Maple Leaf purchased another US vegan-meat producer, Lightlife Foods based in Massachusetts, in February. This second acquisition cements their interest and investment in the alternative protein food market, a rapidly growing sector in grocery retail.

Lightlife Foods has produced their popular line of vegan hot dogs, deli meats, bacon and sausage using tempeh, soy and tofu for over 35 years, and at time of their takeover (for USD$140-million) reported sales of USD$40-million in 2016. Field Roast built their food business with grain-meat loaves, sausages, burgers, cutlets, and more recently, dairy-free Chao tofu-based cheeses. Maple Leaf acquired Field Roast for USD$120-million with annual sales of USD$38-million.

Michael McCain, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods stated, “The acquisition of Field Roast complements and expands our portfolio in the fast-growing North American market for alternative proteins. It also aligns with our vision to be a leader in sustainable protein and create shared value through making a positive social impact.”

This latest purchase by Maple Leaf of a second plant-protein food manufacturer confirms commitment to their sustainable protein initiative announced in 2012 in their first annual sustainability report, and it follows a few of their competitors who are also claiming their stake in the growing vegan meat market.

The world’s largest meat producer, Tyson Foods, invested in vegan protein producer Beyond Meat; Nestlé recently purchased California-based Sweet Earth Natural Foods, a manufacturer of plant-based protein meals and snacks; and global food giant Cargill was one of the investors in Memphis Meats, a lab-based meat manufacturing profiled in a recent Hub article.

Industry insiders believe these big players are not only listening to consumers that want more plant-based protein foods, but also recognize that the planet’s growing population (estimated to be 9 billion by 2050) cannot realistically be sustained by an animal-based food industry.

The alternative protein market is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years, largely because of changing consumer tastes, and the unsustainability of animal-based meat production.

A new study by American researchers has shown that increased TV viewing can lead to a greater risk of developing blood clots, even in those who get the recommended amount of exercise.

Carried out by Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont in Burlington and led by Dr. Mary Cushman, the study has shown that those who rated their TV viewing as “very often” are at a greater risk than those who rated their TV viewing as “never or seldom”.

While leading a sedentary lifestyle has already been linked to an increase in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, this is the first study that examines the link between venous thromboembolism (VTE) — a disease that includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism — and TV watching. Deep vein thrombosis can occur in the arms, pelvis or legs during long periods of inactivity when blood slows down and pools, forming blood clots. Pulmonary embolism happens when the blood clot breaks off and travels through the blood stream to the lungs. VTE can occur at any age but is more predominant in people aged 60 or older. VTE is a growing health concern in the United States and impacts between 300,000 and 600,000 people per year.

The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study looked at data from 15,158 people, between the ages of 45 and 64, all of whom were VTE-free when the study began.  Between 1987 and 1989, the participants reported which category of TV viewing they fell into, choosing either “never or seldom”, “sometimes”, “often”, or “very often”. The participants updated their viewing categories several times throughout the course of the study and in that time, doctors recorded 691 blood clots or incidents of VTE.

Dr. Cushman’s study found that:

• those who reported their TV viewing as “very often” were 1.7 times more likely to develop VTE for the first time, compared with those who watch TV “never or seldom”;
• the risk was 1.8 times higher in participants who reported watching TV “very often,” even if they met the recommended targets for physical activity, compared with those who reported their TV viewing as “never or seldom”;
• more TV viewing led to an increased risk of VTE and while obesity is more common in those who watch TV more often, obesity only accounted for about 25 percent of the increased risk.

Cushman recommends that people “think about how you can make the best use of your time to live a fuller and healthier life. You could put a treadmill or stationary bike in front of your TV and move while watching. Or you can delay watching TV by 30 minutes while you take a walk. If you must see your favorite show, tape it while you are out walking so you can watch it later, skipping the ads.”

The American Heart Association recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.

Walmart acquired Jet.com in September 2016 which raised eyebrows for more than one reason. Some felt they may have spent far more than necessary in the $3.3-billion deal, while others wondered how the family-friendly retail giant would blend the successful, unconventional e-commerce retailer into the fold.

With a reputation for drinking alcohol at the office during company-sponsored “happy hours” which allowed employees to drink at their desk, and by selling a full range of adults-only sex play products, Jet.com appeared to be an anomalous acquisition for Walmart. Yet one year later their e-commerce sales results showed a 63% increase in the last quarter.

It was thought that the non-traditional culture and merchandise of Jet.com could pose a threat to the Walmart name, built on family values. Walmart added a pop-up to “click to confirm age” to the e-commerce site to prevent minors from viewing their selection of adult toys, as most are more “anatomically correct” than those previously sold at Walmart. As well, Walmart at first banned in-office drinking, moving their happy hour activities to local bars but after employees complained and productivity suffered, Walmart reversed their prohibition on drinking at the office.

The acquisition of Amazon’s biggest competitor appears to have been a smart move as Walmart is now the second largest online retailer. They retained Jet’s CEO, Marc Lore, to continue to lead their U.S. e-commerce division and they quadrupled the inventory available for online purchase to more than 35 million items. Earlier this year, Walmart offered free two-day shipping on purchases over $35, undercutting Amazon’s $50 free shipping for non-Prime members. Amazon Prime membership has an annual fee of just under $100 to receive free shipping benefits while Walmart offers theirs without any extra cost once the minimum purchase is attained.

Jet.com continues to operate as a separate business, and in addition to being able to purchase sex toys online, shoppers can also buy groceries, electronics, and furniture while also offering high-ticket luxury items.

Purica Foundation Fund was created by brothers and co-owners of Purica, Trevor and Jason Watkin and their spouses Marnie and Anna. “We realize that many people require special support and additional resources in order for them to make the most of life, work and play and we aim to provide that where we can, with an emphasis on children, seniors and animal welfare,” said Foundation Executive Director, Marnie Watkin, back in July 2016 when the foundation was first announced.

The Purica Foundation committee reviewed a large number of charities before choosing the Cowichan Hospice House project as the charitable organization to receive proceeds from their 1^st annual gala fundraising event.

Purica is a leading natural health and wellness supplement company based on Vancouver Island since 2000. The company name is a portmanteau of Purity and Care, and the owners, have certainly shown they care by raising funds through their foundation to benefit the building of Cowichan Hospice House. In a previous press release Purica noted that the Cowichan Valley community needed, “A place to die with support, safety, and dignity, in a home-like setting. A place where expert medical care is provided, focussed on a person’s own goals and priorities.” Palliative care is available on the Island, but there currently are no hospice beds.

The Watkin family was always involved in charities while growing up in Cowichan Valley near Duncan, BC. Co-owners Trevor and Jason and their families felt it was important to give back to their own community, having received so much support for their business ventures from their hometown area. Once the Cowichan Hospice House project was chosen, they held a number of smaller events, and gathered a community of like-minded people to get involved. With hand-picked volunteers of friends and business associates having “connections” in the local Cowichan Valley community, the Hospice House fundraising committee spent the next year planning their first gala extravaganza.

The foundation’s inaugural gala was held at Mellor Hall, Cowichan Exhibition Park on November 4^th and raised a staggering $130,000 via live auctions of luxury travel packages, silent auctions of over 160 items, live entertainment, and donations by over 400 attendees who all dressed in theme for the event, a 1920’s “Jazz Era” gala.

Cowichan Hospice House will be the first of its kind in the Valley, home to about 46,000 people, and beginning with at least 7 beds once the house is built with funds contributed by the Purica Foundation and others.

Marnie Watkin stated they chose Hospice House to receive the funds from their first annual gala as “we felt it was most needed and would serve everyone inclusively. Everyone is welcome if they need palliative care despite any other status.”

Once completed, Cowichan Hospice House will be managed by Island Health and it is hoped that the 7-bed facility will be completed by 2020, with capacity to increase according to local population’s needs.

https://cowichanhospicehouse.ca/

In a new study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway reveal that a drug commonly used to treat parasites may be used in the fight against prostate and colon cancer.

The group of researchers has been testing hundreds of existing drugs to see what effect they have on cancer cells.  Their research shows that a well-known and approved anti-parasite drug, nitazoxanide (NTZ), breaks down the beta-catenin protein, which is found at high levels in prostate and colon cancer cells. The activation of this protein causes cancer cells to proliferate at an extreme rate and allows cancer cells to thrive, making them more resistant to treatment.

NTZ, which is used to treat Giardia, tapeworm and other parasites, attacks beta-catenin proteins to prohibit their growth and decompose the activated proteins. NTZ also appears to stimulate central parts of the immune system, that then attack cancer cells.

The leader of the research study, Professor Karl-Henning Kalland at the Department of Clinical Science at the University of Bergen notes, “We discovered that this specific substance is blocking the signalling pathway in the cancer cells, and makes them stop growing. It is not often that researchers discover a substance that targets specific molecules as precisely as this one.”

He also explains, “The advantage of testing already approved drugs is that we know they work in the human body and have no serious side effects, which means that a future treatment may happen quicker.”

This is very promising news for the thousands of Canadians suffering from prostate and colon cancer and doctors who treat these types of cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that in 2017,

• 21,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 21% of all new cancer cases in men in 2017.
• 4,100 men will die from prostate cancer. This represents 10% of all cancer deaths in men in 2017.
• On average, 58 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every day.
• On average, 11 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer every day.

They also estimate that,

• 26,800 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. This represents 13% of all new cancer cases in 2017.
• 9,400 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer. This represents 12% of all cancer deaths in 2017.
• 14,900 men will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 5,100 will die from it.
• 11,900 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 4,300 will die from it.
• On average, 73 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer every day.
• On average, 26 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer every day.

The year-end holidays are here and a recent study by YouAppi suggested that 85% of consumers are going mobile this season. Yet some retailers may not be offering the best mobile apps to attract shoppers. According to the study, faster network speeds and feelings of security were among the benefits of mobile shopping most desired by consumers.

Retailers are advised to utilize apps that offer added personalized features such as sending alerts and notifications of sales and promos, and incentive programs that use options to engage customers. An impressive 69% of holiday mobile shoppers said that special offers grab their attention, however, more than half of consumers didn’t want to see any Christmas holiday campaigns until after Thanksgiving.

The retailer’s benefits of mobile shopping are only obtained if the shopping experience is the best it can be for the customer. Basic functionality is at the core of customer experience as the following was among the highest-ranked requests from consumers: being bug-free; an app experience that flows and makes sense; speed; and fluidity between the app and the online store. These details are important as 68% of mobile shoppers were willing to abandon the sale when faced with functionality issues. Younger generations, Gen Z in particular, are even more impatient and finicky, refusing to use an app that is too slow or difficult to use.

The study found there is still some disconnect between what is wanted by consumers and what is being offered through mobile shopping. Making payment easy was desired by holiday mobile shoppers, as most preferred to pay using a credit card from an existing file. Besides the functionalities, the emotional disconnect to consumers borders on an untapped area of marketing. Companies that appeal to the more human needs of the customer tend to perform better at raising profits, and acquiring and retaining new customers compared to those that do not.

Holiday shopping is expected to bring big numbers this year, regardless of whether sales are achieved as in-store picks or in-hand clicks. Adobe’s analytics suggest that 2017 will be the first year that holiday shopping breaks $100-billion, with year-to-year growth.

It’s not too late to prepare the best mobile holiday shopping experience possible, as your customers’ loyalty could be the greatest gift of the season.

In the last decade, concern about carbohydrate intake, and sugars in particular, has skyrocketed.  We’re all aware of the connection with type 2 diabetes, but sugar can have ties to other serious conditions such as hypertension and fatty liver disease, too.

Sugar Affects Blood Pressure

It’s been suspected for some time that dietary sugar and blood pressure are linked.  It’s even been shown that higher levels of sugars are associated with elevated blood pressure readings in children[1].

A 2017 study found that sugar can increase salt sensitivity in some people and when sugar and salt are taken together in the same meal, the effect on blood pressure is even greater than it would be if these substances were consumed separately – a kind of “double whammy” effect.[2]

This makes the sugar connection for blood pressure, and the related effects for cardiovascular health, all the more important.

Sugar Affects Your Liver

Your liver keeps you healthy by filtering your blood, helping to manage your blood sugar level, and processing nutrients and other substances such as medications for excretion.  While it is normal to have a certain amount of fat in your liver, too much fat prevents the liver from doing its job.  When liver function is impaired by fat, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be diagnosed.

High intakes of ordinary table sugar (sucrose) promote the development of a fatty liver, but fruit sugar (fructose) does so even more[3].

Tips for Reducing Your Sugar Intake

• Watch for hidden sugar by reading ingredient labels. Any ingredient ending in “ose” is a form of sugar.
• Cut back on high-sugar beverages, such as sodas and fruit juices. A serving of fruit juice is 4 ounces (125 ml) and counts as a serving of fruit.
• Limit fruit servings to 2 per day for non-diabetics and 1 per day for diabetics. A serving of fruit is one medium-sized fruit, approximately the size of your closed fist, or a ½ cup of chopped fruit or berries.
• If you put sugar in tea or coffee, consider using stevia instead. Stevia is a natural substance that has a sweet taste similar to sugar. Because it has a different chemical structure, it doesn’t have the negative effects of sugar.

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[1] Kell, Kenneth P., et al. “Added sugars in the diet are positively associated with diastolic blood pressure and triglycerides in children.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 100.1 (2014): 46-52.

[2] Preuss, Harry G., et al. “Blood Pressure Regulation: Reviewing Evidence for Interplay Between Common Dietary Sugars and Table Salt.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition (2017): 1-8.

[3] Moore, J. Bernadette, Pippa J. Gunn, and Barbara A. Fielding. “The role of dietary sugars and de novo lipogenesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.” Nutrients 6.12 (2014): 5679-5703.

Liberty Village will soon have plenty of choices in natural, vegan and organic fresh foods for residents of this popular neighbourhood in Toronto. Organic Garage Ltd. just announced they have signed the lease for a historic property at 42 Hanna Avenue where they plan to open their new Ontario location.

Organic Garage opened its first store in Oakville, Ontario in 2006, carrying on an ancestral family tradition of selling more affordable fresh foods and groceries, or as their slogan states, “Healthier food for less!”. Their newest store in Liberty Village will place the family-run business not far from the site of their grandfathers’ grocery store on 374 College Street, which opened in 1931 and operated continually by successive family members until its closure when the current CEO, Matt Lurie, was a boy.

According to their own corporate web site, “The company’s stores are in prime retail locations designed to give customers an inclusive, unique and value-focused grocery shopping experience.”

Organic Garage has established a reputation for affordable organic and natural health supplements, organic produce and groceries targeting consumers of non-GMO and eco-sustainable foods and health & beauty products. Additional offerings promised for this new 13,000 sq. ft. location will include a specialty beverage and juice bar for kombucha, cold-brewed coffee and other nutritional beverages; food bars for sushi and specialty foods, and self-serve kiosks.

They currently have stores in Vaughan and in Toronto’s Junction district, while another location at 33 Laird Drive is scheduled for opening in 2018.

For those suffering from eczema (aka atopic dermatitis), there can be overwhelming choices in available treatments. Between what is found over-the-counter to what is prescribed by a doctor, even wading through the options is disheartening as some may have side effects, or lack supportive research. Where does one start when seeking relief from eczema?

The itchy, red rash that develops on the skin often brings symptoms of pain and discomfort. Further, it can cause problems with sleep, emotional distress and affect daily living. For many, eczema may appear only in winter or other seasons, sometimes as an acute allergic skin reaction, while in others it is a chronic condition with no known cause. However, there are some promising treatments.

Pharmaceutical Options

Conventional treatments refer to therapies and treatments that have been scientifically researched by pharmaceutical companies, and are prescribed more often by allopathic doctors. These may include over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicines, targeted therapies, etc.

Two recently-approved new treatments seem promising for the inflammation associated with eczema. Crisaborole (trademarked as Eucrisa) is a nonsteroidal topical ointment and the first anti-inflammatory cream to be approved by the US FDA for the treatment of mild to moderate eczema in over 15 years. Another is a biologic therapy given by injection to adults who haven’t responded to, or can’t use topical medications. However, the outcomes have not always been consistent and long-term use of powerful immunosuppressive medicines is unsafe. As there is still no definitive cure for eczema, some people combine conventional treatments with natural alternatives.

Natural Health Options

There are several natural treatments commonly used for those seeking non-pharmaceutical eczema options. Although many individuals find relief in the following treatments, it’s important to remember that just because something is defined as natural, doesn’t mean it is safe for you. Always consult with a licensed health practitioner before trying any new treatments.

1. Sunflower Seed Oil – Applied topically, it can aid in inflammation, itch, and improvement of skin barrier function.
2. Coconut Oil – Currently being researched for its antibacterial effects against Staph bacteria. Most natural oils safe for the skin can help moisturize and relieve dryness.
3. Massage – Aids in stress reduction.
4. Acupuncture & Acupressure – Helps with pain and itching while decreasing stress.
5. Vitamin D – Counters eczema flare-ups, especially in winter.

When the symptoms of eczema seem unbearable and uncomfortable, one seeks the best, personalized relief possible. Until the cause of one’s eczema can be discovered, perhaps a combination of treatment strategies is best at keeping eczema under control.

Canadians were issued a new warning by Health Canada about a popular antioxidant touted for weight loss. Green tea extract is a concentrated form of green tea used in supplements, particularly weight loss products. Health Canada notes that the amount of green tea added to many drinks and foods would be safe to consume but that the extract, normally sold in pill, capsule or powder form has a higher concentrated form of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the ingredient at issue.

EGCG can be found in white and black teas in smaller amounts but is usually extracted from green tea and added to dietary supplements in forms that also include chewable products, gummies and tablets. Previous warnings had stated to “consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have a liver disorder or develop symptoms of liver trouble…” but after a few reports worldwide and two in Canada, Health Canada this week added this Known Adverse Reaction: “Rare, unpredictable cases of liver injury associated with green tea extract-containing products have been reported (in Canada and internationally) (HC 2017).”

The American College of Gastroenterology noted in 2014 that green tea extract in very high doses could lead to liver damage, but it is not clear if lower doses of EGCG could lead to health problems. They also stated that it is unknown why one may develop a liver injury from green tea extract, although genetic susceptibility was suggested. Health claims for green tea extract are not allowed by the US FDA.

Health Canada recently reviewed reports of a link between EGCG and liver damage worldwide, including a few in Canada and decided an updated, stronger warning was required. Their caution for the ingredient now includes, “Stop use if you develop symptoms of liver trouble such as yellowing of the skin/eyes (jaundice), stomach pain, dark urine, sweating, nausea, unusual tiredness and/or loss of appetite and consult a health care practitioner.” They also now recommend that green tea extract should only be taken by adults over age 18.

Health Canada also stated they will require manufacturers to add these new additional warnings to their labels and information for products containing green tea extract.